Our favorite place in the entire triangle. Been going here for many years, very consistent, very good food and service.

Fresh Indian food is hard to find, but look no further- Cilantro won't let you down! Tucked away in the back of Macgregor Village near the intersection of US-1/Hwy64, there's no reason to not stop by here for a delicious lunch. Give yourself a little bit of time- though it's counter service, the meal doesn't rush out quickly- it's made to order... but so well worth it. They even have complimentary drinks! If you know what's good for you, order the samosas for an appetizer- their signature cilantro hot sauce makes them even better. Om nom nom.... they're the best in the Triangle! My favorite dish is the tandoori chicken- it's a ton of food & comes with a chick pea salad, Moroccan hummus, and white rice. Get another side of the cilantro sauce (it's hot) bc it's heavenly. Don't be alarmed when your lunch is $12-15.. I wish it were a few bucks cheaper, but it's worth it- I promise! This is my favorite little Indian place in the Raleigh/Cary area because it's family owned, fresh, and scrumptious. Would be 5-stars if lunch were just a bit cheaper & quicker (though I'm never here for more than 1hour), but they've revised their lunch menu to limit the options to expedite the service.... so I'm certain it'll be even better in the days to come. I need to come back for dinner sometime :) read more

Although I like this restaurant very much, I've noticed that lately there's a lot of sauce and very little protein in the entrees, at least that was the case in my butter and tija Masala chicken in my take out order. Not even the rice was. abundant. People notice this kind of thing. I hope the manager reads this review. I'd hate to see a good place go down. read more

We have found our new Indian restaurant! We ordered the spicy potato appetizer and two orders of butter chicken. Everything was so good! Especially the sweet chickpea side salad. read more

Cilantro Indian Cafe - Butter chicken was so creamy and the garbanzo bean salad really chilled out the spices with its sweetness. - Indian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Authentic Indian food! They dint americanize their dishes. Very sweet staff And amazing food. Must experience. Counter service and sit where u want. read more

I want to start off by saying the younger guy behind the counter who took our order was incredibly polite. And he was seriously, unbelievably kind. So thank you to him. We left him a high tip as a thanks. I've been here twice, my last time being a few days ago and the food was incredibly salty. I'm very much used to Indian food and we eat it frequently in my house but man... the chicken tandoori I ordered was extremely salty. To the point I didn't finish it, didn't feel full and left a bit disappointed. Also what's up with we serving pita bread instead of naan? You charge people for naan yet give pita bread. What Indian restaurant doesn't serve naan? I wish the portion sizes were also better. It looks big on pictures but only because they put the sauce in one bowl and a tiny little section of rice on the plate. The presentation makes the food look larger but the portion sizes are extremely small. It's disappointing for the prices. And I don't know who you have working in your kitchen who is sick but we could hear someone in the kitchen hacking up a lung with their coughs so loud and nasty. Not what I want to hear with the recent news and handling of my food. We heard him cough for a solid 15-seconds multiple times from the kitchen doors as we waited for our food. Kinda put us off as you can imagine. read more

We came, we left... stopped and we went back in ... Dori and I were out after oysters the other night and thought we would give Tony's in MacGregor Village another go. We decided to bail on Tony's (read my write up on them for more) when we saw Cilantro Indian Cafe. I usually do not eat Indian food in the states as its typically been Americanized on the spice and portion. Not true with Cilantro's. We went in wanting Indian, found they did not serve alcohol, left and got about half way to the car and went back in. Why... the owner's son behind the bar did a great job of selling the food to us (you should be proud of him Dad, he represented the front of the house very well), it smelled great, our kids were out for the night, we had wine at home... and a Red Box was near the house. So, date night turned into "take out-movie night"... just like that. As usual, I want to be sure to set expectation as much as possible. When you see the 243 reviews achieving 4.5 stars, you need to know what that really means. This place does not hold back on spice or serve alcohol. It provides some of the most authentically prepared Indian cuisine I have had in the states. So what does that mean... its very spicy hot for most American pallets. Its serving sizes can be shared by 2 people. So set your expectation. If you are from India...you will probably like this place. Food- we had the Chicken Tikka Marala (being the typical Americans we are) and the Salmon Tikka Kabobs. The chicken was "make the top of your head sweat" hot. It was hot in the mouth too, but mostly made us sweat and noses run. It was average Chicken Tikka compared to others I have had in the EU and India and a little runny. The Salmon Kabobs were tender, juicy and spicy hot, but delicious. I would go back for it. So why the 3 stars (I would go 3.5 if Yelp would let the app do it) - the portion of white rice was smaller than expected - the Tikka Chicken was average and could be a little thicker - they do mot serve alcohol. This would be fine if it was a lunch and take out only, but when you open for dinner in the US, as a culture you need to offer a variety of life style choice. - 1 piece of Naan per meal... getting a little "American" on this one. We love Naan, two pieces per meal would help with the heat. All in allI would go back and try other things on their menu. Please check it out to see if there's options you would like as well. read more

Cilantro Indian Cafe - Indian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Clean friendly and fresh. Food is always amazing and more affordable than other Indian spots. Local produce and meat suppliers. It's my go to Indian spot. read more

This is a great Indian option in the Cary/Apex area! The portions are large and tasty, however, they are extremely spicy! The vegetable samosas are tasty but slightly over priced at $6 for two. I recommend ordering and picking it up as I have found their delivery times are kinda long. read more

This restaurant is really great. The food is excellent and the service is very warm and friendly.

In the morning I had a car inspection that took 5hrs. I didn't eat breakfast or lunch and I was extremely hungry. My energy was drained. Cilantro Indian Cafe gave me life. Go here if you want to go from Hangry to Happy. read more

Cilantro Indian Cafe - Indian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

If quantity is your goal, Cilantro is great. The food is good. The saag has spinach in it, but it has probably the least amount spinach in a saag that I've ever seen. All the food tastes good though. Never hd a bad meal. read more

One star for the cleanliness and well decorated dining area, another for the young man at the counter who was so polite and happy. Samosa was frozen in the middle, food took almost an hour to arrive and there were tables covered in dirty dishes to look at while we waited. The food was spicy but not too flavorful, seemed camouflaged with oil and similar seasonings so each dish wasn't able to stand on its own. No creamy textures, plain naan, and tiny servings of rice to go with. I hate to be this disappointed but it seems I got my hopes up. Won't be going back. read more

Fantastic food my favorite Indian restaurant in the triangle! I have not had anything on the menu that I didn't love. Pay attention to the spice level as some items may be too hot for some to handle. read more

We tried this place for the first time tonight. The guy that helped us (which apparently was the owner's son), was extremely friendly and very kind! The atmosphere of the place is nice and calm feeling, but I felt comfortable having my kids there, including my one year old. The food was also very delicious! We will definitely be back again! read more

Wow! This place is so good! Everything tastes so fresh. The butter chicken was my favorite. The ginger tea was delicious. Very friendly staff, very clean restaurant. If you haven't given them a try I highly recommend it. The portion sizes are just right. read more

Food was not good at all and pricy. The customer service is excellent, however the chicken tiki masala was horrible.

Came here for lunch and tried the Samosas, Chicken Biryani, and Karahi Lamb. The restaurant is deceptively fast casual. You order at the counter, get a number, and your food is brought out to you. The way everything is laid out, though, it appears like a traditional sit-down restaurant. As in, it's nice enough looking to be a traditional sit-down restaurant. In terms of the food, the Samosas were pretty good. The exterior was nice, crispy, and the proper thickness. It was a vegetable-only samosa, and was pretty heavily spiced with curry - almost a little overpoweringly so for me. But I still enjoyed it. The Karahi Lamb was very spicy, which I liked, and the meat was pretty tender, considering it was lamb. I liked the flavors of the lamb as well, and it was brought out with the rice on the side, as well as naan and a mixture of tomatoes, green peppers, and onions. So in eating it, I kind of got a scoop of each and mixed it together - not sure if that's how it's supposed to be eaten. Regardless, I enjoyed the lamb and the spiciness level. The Chicken Biryani was good in terms of flavor, but the chicken was dry for my liking. We ordered it spicy, and it definitely came spicy. The chicken was with mixed with rice and a side of yogurt, which all went pretty well together. I preferred the Karahi Lamb, though. The service was attentive and friendly, and the place is clean and well-kept. I'd definitely be up for going back for another try. read more

It's surprising that I haven't reviewed this restaurant yet because we come here all the time. Food is super fresh. Flavors are on the spot. Very homely people and food. Love their soup and their pistachio cheesecake and of course every vegetarian item on their menu. A very clean place and nice ambiance. They also have an area upstairs for larger groups private parties. P.S Their pistachio cheesecake is a must try! read more

I have been pretty impressed in the past with this restaurant, so to make this review is disappointing. I've ordered a few chicken dishes (butter chicken, chicken tikka masala and one other ) and a tried an appetizer. This time was different than any other time. When ordering, they ask your spice level- my husband says "the mildest possible". I try the dish--- I had to dump 6 oz of sour cream into it to eat more than a few bites due to the spice level! Yikes! Also, why so little chicken? I think I got maybe 6-8 pieces that tasted dry and unflavored when we ordered at the beginning of a dinner shift. I'm having second thoughts about coming back here again as it was one of my favorites (as there aren't many in the Raleigh area) to choose from during COVID! read more

The food is delicious! We have tried a variety of dishes. We have liked them all. You have to try the dessert too! The customer service won us over the very first time we visited. The restaurant is clean and the decor is fun with positive sayings posted throughout. read more

Setup is a little unusual in that you order from the counter but definitely has the feel of a very classy, modern chic sit-down restaurant that is entirely appropriate for a nice date night. Very light inside with tall ceilings and nice decor. Most Indian restaurants I've been to for dinner are very dimly lit. Cilantro is not lacking in lights. Neither here nor there, just different. Food. Hub had lamb saag and cardamom tea, I ordered chana masala and a mango lassi. The lassi was very frothy, sweet, and less creamy than I am used to, but still delicious. Both entrees came with rice, naan, chickpea salad, and a cilantro chutney. Not realizing how hot the chutney is, I doused my chickpeas with it, emptying the container. It was very yummy, but I wasn't prepared for the kick (not complaining). The chana masala was good and spicy. The lamb saag was very, very tender. You could probably not have teeth and still get it down without a problem. Hubby is very picky and he loved it, calling Cilantro his favorite Indian restaurant so far in Cary. The cardamom tea was fragrant, sweet, and creamy. We would love to come back here again. read more

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I absolutely love the atmosphere! The music, inspirational quotes, and decor give you a flavorful taste of modern India that goes hand in hand with the delicious entrees. The order before you sit technique doesn't have guests waiting around for their checks after they're done. Genius! If only the chicken was a little bit more tender, Cilantro would earn the fifth star. All in all, I recommend you to curry up to cilantro! read more

Cilantro Indian Cafe - Lamb coconut curry - Indian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

This is the kind of restaurant where we have to order items first before proceeding to the seating area. Once ordered they assign a number to you. You are now free to choose seats on either of the two floors. Service: Attentive and very friendly. Owner stops by at your table to check on you. Taste: Hands down the best samosa chat in the triangle(It's sweet,spicy,tangy,crunchy,creamy,salty. Each bite is full of delicious flavors). Ordered Paneer Makhani for lunch. It comes with rice, naan(4 pieces), chickpea salad and cilantro chutney. The spice level is how I wanted it to be and the flavors are on point. Parking: Not an issue. You'll find plenty of spots inside the plaza. read more

Cilantro Indian Cafe - Indian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

I ordered the chana saag last week. I was really hoping it would be good, but there was barley any spinach and the chickpeas were drowning in oil. It was almost a soup of oil. The flavor was okay, but definitely not worth going back go unless they stop using so much oil and the saag should be more green/have more spinach. **Too much oil** read more

Done takeout and dined in a few times with no complaints so far. For take-out they're quite efficient and there is a nice seating area in the front of the restaurant while you await your order. During dine-in, the service was prompt and friendly. Went here with a large group once (~20 people) and they were very patient with sorting out the orders. You place your order and pay for it at the front counter and then sit where you like with seating available on two floors. The ambiance is nice with tasteful decor. As per the food, it has never disappointed. My favorite is Moroccan Hummus which is like Chana Masala except has a slightly different spice kick to it. They are good with adjusting spice levels for your palette too. This is one of my complaints with Indian restaurants, even if I ask for mild, the food comes out med/high. Also, would recommend Methi Paneer if you're looking for a milder dish. The cakes here are really yummy. Sometimes, I just come to grab a slice of cheesecake, cardamom cheesecake is my favorite. I have never had it anywhere else and its an interesting flavor. If you like the taste and smell of cardamom, I think you would enjoy it! read more

The food here is so tasty and spicy. Yummy to my tummy! The service is very good as well. They didn't complain when we showed up close to closing time. My wife needed extra yoghurt to help with the spicy food. I had a lot of fun. The mango lassi is good too! read more

Excellent find while visiting Cary on 1/1/20. Walked in shortly after opening at 5pm and glad we got there early because the dining room filled up quickly. Please note, you place your order at the counter then you're handed a number. Go find your seat and they will bring it to you. I had the lamb wrap. Delicious. The red fries were hotter than I was expecting but they were delicious too. My girlfriend got the Coconut Chicken and loved it as well. We couldn't resist taking home 2 desserts in the front display. read more

Cilantro Indian Cafe - Lamb Wrap - Indian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Wow Great staff great food. I'm from east london and it's the home of curry. Lived in California before NC. The best Indian food I have had outside of the UK. read more

Ordered chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, aloo gobi, and mango lassi. All were delicious and would recommend for anyone looking for Indian food! read more

This Indian café is cute and cozy. I love the booths and the inspirational messages painted throughout the place! We ordered at the counter and the food came out fast! I consider this is the Indian version of fast food so it's not as full-flavored as typical Indian cuisine but it's still pretty good! Veggie samosas-good but not enough potato. These samosas have more green stuff (peas, cilantro) than potato. Chickpea salad-this came with my entrée and I don't like chickpeas at all but BF said this was very good. Chicken tikka masala-the staff was kind enough to add potatoes and peas to this per my request and it was good. It came with lots of sauce but just a small portion of rice. However, they do offer extra rice for purchase when you order. Now I see why. Naan- good Overall, the service was great. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful answering questions about the preparation of dishes. The food didn't blow my mind but it was pretty good. I would definitely come here again if I was in the mood for Indian food and I had only a brief amount of time to dine. If your expectations are on par with "fast-casual" food then you will not be disappointed. read more

Cilantro Indian Cafe - Chicken tikka masala, chickpea salad, rice, naan, cilantro sauce - Indian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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This is an awesome Indian restaurant in the Cary area. The family-owned staff is always super friendly and warm. The food is uniquely authentic and hard to find anywhere else. You simply cannot beat their cilantro sauce. Also, the desserts are just amazing!!! COVID friendly and carry-out easy! Try them today and support this family-owner local restaurant. read more

I wish I could say I've actually had the Indian cuisine. It IS on my list because this places smells AMAZING. I went here Valentine's weekend just to grab desserts. Husband is a Dasher and really wanted to try their cakes. He sold me on the idea. Holy moly. Huge servings and delicious! We got a piece of a mocha cake and a peanut butter cake. I'm literally amazed at how scrumptious the cakes were. I am a sucker for Indian and South Asian cuisine so I have been dying to find an excuse to go back and try some food. I have a feeling this place won't let me down. read more

By far my favorite Indian restaurant that I've had the opportunity to try in the Triangle. Huge lunch portions and so tasty you will want to finish every bite. I'm not sure how they do their dinner service but for lunch it's a fast casual restaurant. You walk in order at the front counter and they bring you your food. This restaurant has an amazing layout and the decor is awesome. It looks like they have a large space upstairs for events or large parties. I ordered the chicken tikka masala and ate every bite in fact I think if I had more pita bread I would have kept soaking up that yummy sauce. For the price you can not beat the amount of food that they give you. Just the right amount of spice and creaminess with huge chunks of chicken served with rice, a chickpea salad, and pita bread. It's a day later and I'm already craving this dish again I can't wait to go back. My friend ordered the butter chicken which was also delicious. The staff was very friendly and made sure to greet us both when we walked in and when we left. My friend I was dining with said she gets takeout here all the time and highly recommends it. What an awesome place to dine in MacGregor Village. I use to frequent MacGregor a lot years ago but there hasn't really been anything that's been bringing me back here recently. Well Cilantro has won me over I look forward to adding this to my weekly lunch outings. read more

Cilantro Indian Cafe - Chicken Tiki Masala - Indian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Cilantro has done very well with their space. It is spacious, and modern. There is only counter service here, take a menu from a top the dessert case (filled with house made desserts) place your order, they'll give you a number and hang out till grub time. Owner and family are very nice and are up to the challenge of your questions. You will find all the classics on their menu, chicken, seafood, and veggie. Lots of options for the Indian food lover. There are tables upstairs and down, and the smart owners put in a soda machine upstairs and down. Entrees come with rice and naan. We ordered a chat samosa and butter chicken. Both were wonderful although a almost a little to spicy for me (b/c i'm a spice WEENIE!) It was a medium heat so i'll ask little to no spice next time. The amount of food you get for you pay is extremely reasonable. We love both butter chicken and chicken tikka masala. both are a tomato cream based dish with chucks of chicken, and since they had both we decided to ask the question we always mean to ask what is the difference between the two?! and the answer is butter chicken is creamier. The butter chicken was great, the bread and rice were plentiful and the salad, which was a chic pea, cucumber, tomato salad was a nice unexpected touch. The chat samosa was a PLATE full, pretty much an entree unto itself. Again a little spicy for me, but we've already established I have spice issues, lol. (so I like not having to wear extra deodorant just to eat dinner, and I like feeling my lips and tongue throughout the meal.....IS THAT SO WRONG?!?!?!?!? :D ) Excellent experience, and YES! I would drive to Cary to eat here! read more

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The food not only was beautifully plated, but the fresh ingredients added to the taste. Each dish had a depth of flavor. The spice was just right at medium level suggested by the waiter. Friendly staff and nicely decorated. read more

I have been wanting to try Cilantro for so long after hearing many mixed reviews. Personally, the food was a 3 for me, but the atmosphere and value bump this up a star. The ambiance is brilliant--it's the perfect balance of casual and sit down, with bright open decor and inspiring quotes everywhere. The staff is extremely friendly and was willing to accommodate our preferences. All of their entrees come with 4 mini pieces of naan, rice, and a chaat salad. While this sounds like a great deal, unfortunately it is not the best quality. I was extremely disappointed with the naan, it was definitely not homemade and tasted like cardboard/the packaged naan you get at food lion. Next time, I would pass on the naan and ask for a double portion of rice instead. The menu here is not conventional as your typical indian restaurant, for example they don't carry daal makhani, one of my favorite dishes. However, they do carry some interesting new curries such as their coconut curry paneer dish. What stood out most about our meal, as other reviews have mentioned, was the "Moroccan Hummus." I don't understand why they call it that, because it is just Chana Masala. The other two curries I tried were underwhelming and slightly bland. If I were in this area, I would definitely return here, but probably wouldn't go out of my way to eat here. read more

Cilantro Indian Cafe - Saag Chana with store bought naan and chaat salad - Indian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

This some of the Best Indian Food I've had in the Triangle. The reason I give Cilantro 4 stars rather than 5 is because they don't offer a Lunch menu and Lunch prices. I ordered the Lamb Korma which was absolutely perfect. Flavorful and just the right amount of heat for me. The side Cilantro Pepper sauce was very delicious. Walk up counter for ordering. Very helpful that they tell you what is cooking currently in the kitchen for speedier service. Waitstaff was very courteous. Decoration was sparse but clean and open spaced with 2 level seating. I will definitely goo again, this time for dinner. read more

Really just could not be pleased more about any aspect of this place. It's become an instant favourite and an immediate go-to for friends that are in the area. The service is what struck me first every visit, the ENTIRETY of the staff is polite to the point that you'll almost be embarrassed, from the order takers to the table runners. They do a wonderful job of accommodating, making you feel welcome, and answering any and all questions you may have about the menu. I hear they're good for takeout, but for goodness sakes why would you not want to sit down here?! The inside is spacious, they don't crowd tables in and go the extra mile to make it seem like you have your own space to enjoy the meal. Thence came we to the food gentle readers, and o such charming cuisine as to satisfy cravings that were never known to begin with is created here. Veterans of Indian cuisine will find the menu familiar, but from my samplings the execution here is superb and flavours both unique and balanced, special shout out to their remarkable butter chicken. Portion sizes are slightly above adequate, and most dishes come with 2 sides which vary, and are also good, which for me puts the price right on point. Can't recommend it enough, take anyone you can with you here! read more

Cilantro Indian Cafe - Butter Chicken, chick pea salad, naan, and all the trimmings. - Indian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

The staff was extremely friendly and so welcoming. The food was spicy but amazing. One could tell that it was very authentic food. Definitely would go back! read more